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Mohammed Bin Rashid crowns Al Jazira, the President’s Cup Champions

 

H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, crowned the President's Cup defending Champions, Al Jazira, who lifted up tonight the trophy of this season for the second successive time following their 3-1 victory over Bani Yas in the President's Cup final match held this evening at Zayed Sports City. The winners ended the first half with a lone goal scored by Luca Neil in the sixth minute. H.H Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum gave away the trophy and the golden medals to Al Jazira players and the silver medals to the Bani Yas team who finished the competition as runner up.

The game was also attended by Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Presidential Affairs, Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan the Ruler's Representative in the Western Region, Honorary Chairman of Al Jazira Club, Sheikh Hazaa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan the National Security Advisor, Honorary Chairman of the UAE Football Association, Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan Minister of the Higher Education and Scientific Research, a number of Sport Officials and a big mass from the two teams' spectators and football lovers that filled the stadium stands.

Ahmad Ali of Bani Yas threatened Al Jazira's goal with a strong volley from outside the box that flew over the cross bar only four minutes into play. But the President's Cup defenders Al Jazira did not wait long to open the score when their Australian defender Lucas Neil drove Subait Khatir's shot into the net in the sixth minute. This early goal boosted the morals of both teams as Al Jazira endeavored to add the second goal while their rivals doubled their efforts to bring the game back into parity. Bani Yas made some good efforts and their striker Sengahoor squandered a lovely chance in the 19th minute when he received the ball into the box before launching a severe shot that was deflected by the goalkeeper Ali Khusaif to a corner and Brazilian Bare lost a sitter for the winners a few minutes later when his header missed the target. Francisco Yeste came close to level the score five minutes before the break when his shot off a dead ball was saved by Ali Khusaif and deflected to a corner. 

The two squads went on their strong attempts trying to find the back of the net but all their efforts could not yield more goals to end the first session with a lone-goal win for Al Jazira. 

The Bani Yas substitute Nawaf Mubarak who came in to replace his teammate Haboosh Saleh, brought the game to the first square two minutes after the breather with a strong left footer that went straight into the left hand corner making it 1-1.

The two teams started to look for the winner after demonstrating a balanced and strong display. Al Jazira’s Brazilian coach Caio Junior pulled out his countryman Bare to field in Ahmad Dada in the 59th minute. Ricardo Oliveira put Al Jazira again into the lead off a stand ball in the 72nd minute when the losers’ goalkeeper Mohammed Khalaf failed to control the strong ball. Sengahoor was fouled at the edge of the box in the 76th minute, but Yaste's shot was cleared away by the defenders.

Calderon made the third and last substitute for Bani Yas when Amir Abdul Rahman replaced Fawzi Awana ten minutes from the final whistle and Saleh Basheir of Al Jazira substituted defender Abdullah Mousa. 

Diaky was put clear with only the goalkeeper to beat two minutes later but he sent the ball over the cross ball . Sultan Bargash also replaced injured Delgado and the goalie Ali Khusaif deprived Sengahoor from scoring the equalizer when he controlled his strong header. The Al Jazira’s substitute Ahmad Dada put the match beyond the reach of Bani Yas players when he received a long pass from midfielder Ibrahima Diaky in the 90th minute. Dada rounded up a defender before sending the ball into the net ending the game with a 3-1 for Al Jazira.